


The Only Place

by lilyoftheshadow



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Gen, Hair Washing, Hurt/Comfort, non-sexual nudity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-12-07 16:07:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20978654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilyoftheshadow/pseuds/lilyoftheshadow
Summary: Eve hovered in the doorway, caught up in confusion and curiosity at the sight. She had never seen the other woman nude before, but she had gotten the impression of strength the last time they met. However, now? Chloe looked...Frail.





	The Only Place

**Author's Note:**

> I'm genuinely not sure where this came from-I've got three other Lucific that I'm trying to get out, but then this kind of... wrote itself? I genuinely have no idea what to make of it, but hopefully you like it!
> 
> Love,  
Lily  
Oct. 10, 2019
> 
> Update: I made some minor edits for typos, and hopefully fixed all of my -- with real, live, gen-yoo-eyen em-dashes. Enjoy, darlings!
> 
> Love,  
Lily  
July 7, 2020

Steam filled the bathroom, obscuring the mirror with heavy condensation.

Chloe preferred that; it kept her from glimpsing the dark rings under her eyes and the dullness of her hair.

She stripped as the heat and the press of moisture in the air began to make the bathroom feel stifling, dropping her clothes into a haphazard pile behind the door. Next, she tried to unwind the braid she had slept in for three days straight.

She had been tossing and turning so much that it was thoroughly matted, and not even attempting to run a brush though it since Thursday morning had taken a toll. She began finger-combing the brittle strands, unwilling to defile one of his brushes for the purpose.

Distantly, she heard the elevator chime, and braced herself for one of Maze's judgey rants about moving on.

"Lucifer?" A soft, hopeful voice called into the bathroom. Chloe felt the name like a jolt of electricity on her raw nerves. She heard the tapping of feminine heels across marble as someone approached, but couldn't be bothered to cover up. The door creaked, then a soft, surprised, "Oh!" drifted through the steam.

Chloe turned her head, and met a pair of wide brown eyes.

"Chloe," Eve breathed out. Chloe couldn't tell what the emotion was quite in her voice, but the pity in Eve’s eyes was clear as she let them travel down Chloe's nude form. She couldn't bring herself to care at the moment.

"Eve," Chloe greeted flatly, turning back to watch her misty outline in the mirror as she resumed her attempt at detangling. 

"He's not...?"

"No."

Eve hovered in the doorway, caught up in confusion and curiosity at the sight. She had never seen the other woman nude before, but she had gotten the impression of strength the last time they met. However, now? Chloe looked...

Frail. 

There was a silence, broken only by Chloe's growl of frustration as she wrestled with a knot. She ripped out a few hairs in her attempt to loosen it, which caused a wince, another growl, and a few mortified tears. Chloe unwound the knotted strands from her fingers with a somewhat despondent expression, and Eve made a fast, impulsive decision.

Chloe heard Eve step into the bathroom, heels tapping on the marble until she toed them off and kicked them into the same corner as Chloe's discarded clothes. She knelt beside Chloe to reach a low drawer and dug around for a black leatherette zippered pouch.

She silently nudged Chloe out of the way, and pulled out the plush vanity stool. Chloe allowed herself to be gently pushed around, and stared at Eve incredulously for a moment. Eve dragged the stool directly behind Chloe, then began rummaging through the zippered pouch.

"Sit," Eve ordered, finally finding what she was after: a clean, wide-toothed comb, still wrapped in cellophane. Chloe dropped onto the stool, half in shock, and half from sheer exhaustion. After a moment, she slumped forward, crossing her arms on the vanity and dropping her forehead onto them.

She felt Eve gently pick up the tangle she had been fighting with and begin to tease it apart from the bottom up.

Chloe continued to stare at her knees between her arms as Eve gently unraveled the knotted hair and smoothed the comb through it a few more times. Chloe sighed deeply, emptying her lungs from the very bottom.

Eve silently picked out another gnarly-looking lock of hair and began unknot it as well. Chloe lifted her head, half-intending to look at her by way of the mirror, but was reminded that the mirrors were still completely fogged over. 

The shower was still running.

And, the First Woman was gently combing her hair.

The tears that she had been fighting all day (all week, all month—since her last stop at Lux) finally broke through and streamed silently down her face.

For her part, Eve didn't falter. She continued picking through the knots, unravelling them as gently as possible, holding the strands so that they didn't tug at Chloe's scalp, wincing a little at every gasp that Chloe emitted, even when she knew the pain was in her heart, not her hair.

As most of the knots disappeared, Eve began raking the comb gently all the way from Chloe’s hairline to her nape in the manner she herself found soothing. The silent tears became choking sobs, and Chloe brought her hands up to cover her face. Eve moved with her, running the come through a few more times before setting it down as the last of the knots fell out.

She instead ran her fingernails through the blonde tresses, frowning slightly at the stiff, oily feel of them, worry welling up inside her. How long had Chloe been neglecting herself? She recognized dry-shampoo buildup well enough.

She didn't stop the gentle caresses until the sniffling subsided, and the once-vibrant woman before her seemed calm enough to rouse from her seat.

The steam from the shower was thick around them. It swirled in the corners of the room, obscuring details in the moraccan tiles around the bathtub. You could almost see the stream of air that tried to escape under the door, partially blocked by discarded clothes. Eve was certain that anyone attempting to actually enter the shower would be scalded, and her concern redoubled. Would the once-pragmatic woman have deliberately burnt herself in the shower, if she hadn’t stumbled in and interrupted?

Eve smoothed her hands down Chloe's neck and across her shoulders, massaging little circles as she went. Eve smiled a little as the shoulders released some of their tension, but found herself wondering with a small ache about how long the knots under her fingers had been building. She was afraid to press too hard, since she knew how sometimes it hurt before it helped, and a part of her didn't want to hurt Chloe any more for the moment.

Eve straightened up, and turned to get things ready for the shower.

She didn't miss the soft whimper Chloe let out when Eve withdrew her hands, nor the way her shoulders tensed back up.

"Stay put," Eve murmured, smoothing her hair and leaning forward to plant a soft kiss on the back of her head. Chloe let out a shuddering breath, but stayed. 

Eve quickly went to the closet by the shower and withdrew the bamboo folding bench inside. She folded a plush terry cloth towel to serve as a makeshift cushion, and set them in the shower, out of the direct spray. She reached for the controls, and shifted the temperature down so that it was, while still very hot, a little further away from scalding.

The brunette then twisted her long hair onto the top of her head and secured it with some spare pins from inside the vanity—they did tend to get lost and pile up, so Lucifer had quite the assortment—and turned back to the still-prone form of her Devil's First Love.

The ache was duller now, from knowing that Lucifer chose this woman over her, and she felt like she was in a better place than she had been months ago. 

Truthfully, Eve had come back to L.A. for Maze, and was just swinging by to pick up a few things before she headed to Dr. Martin's house where she knew Maze had been staying. Chloe's broken presence was a heartrending surprise.

Eve blinked away the tears that had suddenly welled up, and reached back to unzip her sundress. Chloe looked up at the noise, and Eve was pinned by her startled, red-rimmed eyes.

"Come here," Eve said quietly, dropping the straps from her shoulders and letting the dress fall to her feet, leaving her bare from the waist up. She stepped out of it and kicked it over by her shoes and Chloe's clothes. Chloe didn't move.

"That wasn't a request, Chloe," Eve said, a little more sternly. Chloe finally stood, and Eve watched her lean heavily on the vanity as if she didn’t trust herself to walk. After a moment, she approached the shower. Eve held open the glass door. 

"Sit," she said, pointing to the shower bench. This time, Chloe obliged immediately, if silently. Eve slipped her panties down and tossed them onto the growing pile before following Chloe into the sauna-like shower. It was spacious enough for several people—Eve remembered proving that somewhat fondly—with multiple adjustable shower heads. She had to stand on her tiptoes to reach the detachable one, sliding it's mount down the adjustable bar so that it was within easy reach.

She tilted Chloe's head back and shielded her forehead with one hand as she thoroughly soaked the blonde hair with the other. The heavenly water pressure could replace her gentle scalp massage, but Chloe didn't react, except to let her eyes flutter closed with a small sigh. Eve felt the ache in her chest ease a little at the tiny bit of pleasure she was able to give.

She turned and selected a bottle of shampoo from the assortment on the stone shelf, and squirt a generous amount into one hand, before tipping Chloe's head back again. Chloe had opened her eyes again was staring listlessly at the water droplets trailing down the glass, allowing Eve to manipulate her as needed. She smoothed the shampoo over Chloe's scalp and was surprised to see her eyes turn glassy, the redness quickly growing prominent again.

Eve frowned. Chloe had started to relax, even been enjoying...? Her own heart sped up as she inhaled the now-fragrant steam, and she sucked in a breath as she immediately realised what she had done wrong. 

Lucifer's shampoo.

Eve found it comforting, but Chloe didn't have the sentimental advantage that endless time gave. Eve cast her eyes heavenward and sighed. The suds were already forming, so she may as well push through.

Chloe's tears mingled with sweat from the heat, and misty overspray from the showerhead, and Eve redoubled her efforts at gentleness as she worked the suds through the neglected locks.

The first rinse actually came away greyish with built-up oil and possibly days worth of dry shampoo, and Eve made the executive decision to lather, rinse, and actually repeat, despite having learned early on how destructive that was to her own hair. The second wash found her selecting a different shampoo, however, and Chloe started to relax again as the soft cherry blossoms replaced Lucifer’s usual sharp herbal scent.

Chloe shivered as Eve finger-combed the finally clean locks, and Eve let herself smile sadly. She chose the more matching cherry-blossom conditioner that Lucifer kept on-hand for female guests, and worked it carefully through each strand.

Chloe drew in a shuddering breath, and Eve noticed the tears were back under control.

Once Eve was sure it was thoroughly saturated, she twisted Chloe's hair on top of her head, tucking in the ends. The rich, thick conditioner would keep the bun in place, as long as she didn't move too quickly.

"Stand up," Eve said, tugging gently on her upper arm. Chloe hesitated again, but obliged. Eve turned her so they were facing, and nudged the bench out of the way. She retrieved a nylon poof from its basket on a high shelf and grabbed the floral body wash that matched the shampoo and conditioner. She squeezed a dollop onto the bath sponge and quickly scrubbed it under the water to lather.

She was slightly gratified to find Chloe watching her actions with a little more attention now. Anything was better than the listlessness from a few minutes ago.

"Let's get you washed," Eve said quietly, barely audible over the sound of the shower. She offered the poof up, and Chloe hesitated, then nodded. She took the poof and slowly began running it over her body. She seemed to not want to look at herself, instead staring at the drain between their feet as she brushed over her shoulders, flanks, and the tops of her thighs. 

When Chloe started to try to reach her middle back, she seemed to lose energy midway through, instead sweeping the poof over her forearms again with a sigh.

"Would you like me to get your back?" Eve offered. Another moment, then Chloe nodded, handing back the poof. "Turn around," Eve prompted. Chloe looked surprised, like that hadn't occurred to her that she might need to. She did so, and her shoulders tensed briefly when Eve put the poof on them, but soon relaxed as Eve washed her back, skimming gently over the visible ribs with a grimace.

"Good girl," Eve praised quietly, and Chloe's shoulders relaxed even further. Eve reached around her for the shower head, and began rinsing Chloe off, top to bottom. Once Chloe was rinsed off, Eve turned her around again and have her a quick appraisal.

"Do you want to shave?" She offered. Chloe furrowed her brow, evidently thinking it over, then slowly shook her head with a barely-whispered “No.” Eve nodded, and turned her towards the bench, scooting in closer again with her foot. "Okay, let's get your hair rinsed then."

She unwound the bun, and adjusted the water temperature to be a little cooler before combing her fingers through the hair to help make sure the excess cream rinse was thoroughly washed away. She resumed scratching her nails against Chloe's scalp, and the blonde's eyes drifted shut once more.

After combing her fingers through the now-silky waterfall for a few minutes, Eve reached over and finally shut off the water. Chloe startled, and looked over to the handle as if it had shut itself off. Eve gently wrung the ends of her hair, and smoothed the loose strands back from Chloe's face.

Eve then opened the shower door, but since the steam had long since permeated the whole room, there was no rush of chilly air. She reached for one the fluffy towels hanging from the towel warmer, and wrapped it around Chloe's dripping form. She took one for herself, carefully tucking the corner into itself so it should stay as she chivvied the blonde out of the shower stall and back to the vanity.

Eve dug around again for the blow dryer and turned it on. Chloe jumped.

"I don't..." she started quietly. Eve turned the dryer off, surprised.

"You don't.. ?" She prompted, when Chloe stayed silent, eyeing the appliance.

"Blow-dry."

“Okay,” Eve said, setting down the dryer. She crossed her arms and looked at the blonde before her. Chloe was already staring at the vanity’s marble top, as if it could possibly help. Eve was sympathetic, but she was reluctant to let her wallow any longer, either.

“Why are you here?” she asked after a short silence. Chloe didn’t respond. “Chloe,” Eve said more sharply. Chloe’s head lifted a bit, and she turned so she could see Eve out of the corner of her eye. “What are you doing here?” she asked again.

“I just...” Chloe started. Eve recognized the welling of tears immediately, and reached for the box of tissues on the far end of the vanity. She handed one to Chloe, who took it, but didn’t bring it to her face. She turned it over in her hand, looking down at it to avoid Eve’s eyes.

“You just...?” Eve prompted again, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s the only place I can...” Chloe sniffled wetly, then let out a broken laugh, gesturing to her red, puffy face. Eve understood immediately, her sympathy returning as she sighed.

“Let yourself break down?” she said, more than asked. Chloe choked on a sob, and nodded, and finally brought the tissue up to hide her face.

Eve stepped between her and the vanity, and pulled Chloe’s head to her stomach. Chloe continued to cry into the towel, this time with raw, wracking sobs, and Eve ran her fingers through the still-sopping blonde hair, murmuring soothing nonsense.

Eve wasn’t sure how long it took Chloe to calm back down, but eventually she drew away and sat up straighter. Eve almost saw her physically package her grief into a box and shove it to the back of her mind. She blew her nose and wiped her eyes, avoiding looking at Eve as she scoot the vanity stool back and stood up.

“I have to get going,” she announced quietly. She turned to the pile of clothes in the corner and picked them up with barely a grimace. After the deeply cleansing shower, Chloe realised that she was almost loathe to put them back on, but she did anyway. Eve reached out a hand, ready to protest, but Chloe already had the bra and underwear on, and was pulling up her jeans, so she bit her lip and tugged at the bottom edge of her towel.

Chloe was fully dressed in mere seconds, gave her face another scrub with a tissue, and left the bathroom.

Eve followed, somewhat startled and put off by the abrupt change. Chloe picked up her phone from the coffee table—Eve hadn’t even noticed the sensible purse sitting on the floor beside it, or she might not have snuck up on her. Almost as soon as Chloe turned the phone back on, it lit up with a call. She cleared her throat roughly before swiping across the screen.

“Decker,” she answered it, with barely a hint of the roughness that crying for an hour caused. There was an almost squawking voice on the other end. “Sorry, I was in the backyard, and my phone was on vibrate. I’ll be there as soon as I can... No, it’s fine. Thirty minutes.” She hung up without saying goodbye as she stalked toward the elevator. She paused as the doors chimed and slid apart, looking back at Eve, who stood mutely in the doorway to Lucifer’s bedroom. They stared at each other for a long moment, a frisson of understanding lighting the air between them.

“...thank you,” she said quietly. Eve nodded, and Chloe stepped into the elevator.


End file.
